East London G.
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Bold is a new independent restaurant / cafe in Tufnell Park, offering a menu with contemporary twists to Turkish classics. It is actually one of the locations where hit show Fleabag was filmed and has been completely refurbished by husband and wife team, Nihan and Ibo Aksu.
It’s gorgeous inside with plush deep blue and pink velvets, prints and lots of mirrors, plants and marble table tops. There is even the signature neon light – because who doesn’t need a neon light these days? You wouldn’t know it’s the dingy cafe in Fleabag if you weren’t reminded but it’s a pretty cool claim to fame.
Service is super friendly from entering. Nihan and Ibo Aksu make you feel almost part of the family. It’s super relaxed too, which we loved for a little midweek dinner catchup.
The drinks menu is small, with a few reds, whites and a couple of rosés, as well as two beers, and a handful of soft drinks. The house red (£5/175ml) was smooth and delicious with dinner. It was rich but not too tanin-heavy. We also had a lemonade which arrived in a can alongside a cute, short and stumpy tumbler.
The food menu in comparison is actually pretty extensive. Alongside the brunch menu which seems to get quite the buzz, the dinner menu features burgers, wraps, kebabs, salads and bowls. There is also a specials menu which changes weekly to give the locals something different each time they visit. They always seem to be developing new menu items which was great to see.
We tried the Sigara Boregi (£5), cigar shaped savoury filo pastries with feta cheese. These were delicious. Not overly cheesy, they were pretty light in flavour and delicious with the accompanied red pepper dip.
The hummus with sucuk (£6.50) was fantastic – the hummus was creamy and really good quality. The dry spicy sausage was rich like chorizo and went superbly with the hummus. We also loved the olives (£3) which were large and plump, and the beetroot was delicious and fresh too.
When we visited, they were trialling a new beef brisket burger. The brisket was so tender and packed with a deep flavour. It was beautifully cooked but we did think it needed a little sauce on the bun. We think they are going to add this but we just suggest asking for a little sauce if it doesn’t come with any yet.
The Falafel wrap (£7.50) was really big. The falafel was great, pretty moist and lots of flavour. Together with hummus lettuce and tomato, it made one tasty wrap. We loved that the whole thing was lightly toasted too!
The Turmeric Bowl (£10) was definitely the winner of the mains though. A bowl of turmeric-spiced chickpeas, rice pilav, house pickled red cabbage, and a dollop of yoghurt, we added grilled kofte (£3.50) to complete the meal. The kofte were aromatic and well cooked, whilst the chickpeas packed in plenty of flavour and the texture was great (al dente). The yoghurt went well at balancing everything out. We loved the rice too – fluffy and tasty, no plain boiled here.
We were advised we just HAD to have a dessert. When the lemon parfait (£6.50) arrived, we understood why. A very zesty, super creamy dessert, with a crumbly biscuit base and fresh mango and strawberries, it was a dreamy way to finish out meal.
We had a lovely experience at this lovely cafe in Tufnell Park. We were made to feel part of the family with such a friendly, relaxed yet efficient service from both Nihan and Ibo Aksu. The food was delicious as was the red wine. It’s such a cute spot too, making it great for a chilled midweek dinner!
